Bell's former city administrator Robert Rizzo faces hearing in second case

LOS ANGELES - Former Bell city administrator Robert Rizzo -- who was ordered to stand trial last week on more than 50 charges stemming from the alleged misappropriation of millions of dollars from the city's coffers -- is due in court today in a second criminal case.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Henry J. Hall is set to determine if there is sufficient evidence to require Rizzo, 57, to stand trial on one felony count each of conflict of interest and misappropriation of public funds.

The hearing is expected to take about a day.

At a hearing that wrapped up last Thursday, Hall ruled that enough evidence had been presented to require Rizzo to proceed to trial in a separate case charging him with 54 counts, including misappropriation of public funds, falsification of records by an official custodian, conflict of interest and public officer crime.

Also ordered to stand trial were former assistant city administrator Angela Spaccia and recalled mayor Oscar Hernandez and former councilman Luis Artiga.

Hernandez and Artiga had previously been ordered on Feb. 16 to stand trial along with City Council members Teresa Jacobo and George Mirabal and former council members George Cole and Victor Bello in a separate case alleging that they misappropriated public funds.

Hernandez, Artiga, Jacobo and Mirabal were recalled last week, with more than 95 percent of those voting in favor of ousting them from office. Artiga had already resigned last October after being charged.

Rizzo and other top city officials stepped down last July after the scandal over their hefty salaries made headlines.